Atomic quantitative analysis

Aono M and Souda R 1985 Quantitative surface atomic structure analysis by low energy ion scattering spectroscopy Japan. J. Appl. Phys. Part 1 24 1249-62... 

Minimizing Chemical Interferences The quantitative analysis of some elements is complicated by chemical interferences occurring during atomization. The two most common chemical interferences are the formation of nonvolatile compounds containing the analyte and ionization of the analyte. One example of a chemical interference due to the formation of nonvolatile compounds is observed when P04 or AP+ is added to solutions of Ca +. In one study, for example, adding 100 ppm AP+ to a solution of 5 ppm Ca + decreased the calcium ion s absorbance from 0.50 to 0.14, whereas adding 500 ppm POp to a similar solution of Ca + decreased the absorbance from 0.50 to 0.38. These interferences were attributed to the formation of refractory particles of Ca3(P04)2 and an Al-Ca-O oxide. 

When possible, a quantitative analysis is best conducted using external standards. Unfortunately, matrix interferences are a frequent problem, particularly when using electrothermal atomization. Eor this reason the method of standard additions is often used. One limitation to this method of standardization, however, is the requirement that there be a linear relationship between absorbance and concentration. 

The conventional method for quantitative analysis of galHum in aqueous media is atomic absorption spectroscopy (qv). High purity metallic galHum is characteri2ed by trace impurity analysis using spark source (15) or glow discharge mass spectrometry (qv) (16). 

In addition to the spark emission methods, quantitative analysis directly on soHds can be accompHshed using x-ray fluorescence, or, after sample dissolution, accurate analyses can be made using plasma emission or atomic absorption spectroscopy (37). 

For quantitative analysis, the resolution of the spectral analyzer must be significantly narrower than the absorption lines, which are - 0.002 nm at 400 nm for Af = 50 amu at 2500°C (eq. 4). This is unachievable with most spectrophotometers. Instead, narrow-line sources specific for each element are employed. These are usually hoUow-cathode lamps, in which a cylindrical cathode composed of (or lined with) the element of interest is bombarded with inert gas cations produced in a discharge. Atoms sputtered from the cathode are excited by coUisions in the lamp atmosphere and then decay, emitting very narrow characteristic lines. More recendy semiconductor diode arrays have been used for AAS (168) (see Semiconductors). 

Although the most sensitive line for cadmium in the arc or spark spectmm is at 228.8 nm, the line at 326.1 nm is more convenient to use for spectroscopic detection. The limit of detection at this wavelength amounts to 0.001% cadmium with ordinary techniques and 0.00001% using specialized methods. Determination in concentrations up to 10% is accompHshed by solubilization of the sample followed by atomic absorption measurement. The range can be extended to still higher cadmium levels provided that a relative error of 0.5% is acceptable. Another quantitative analysis method is by titration at pH 10 with a standard solution of ethylenediarninetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and Eriochrome Black T indicator. Zinc interferes and therefore must first be removed. 

The classical wet-chemical quaUtative identification of chromium is accompHshed by the intense red-violet color that develops when aqueous Cr(VI) reacts with (5)-diphenylcarba2ide under acidic conditions (95). This test is sensitive to 0.003 ppm Cr, and the reagent is also useful for quantitative analysis of trace quantities of Cr (96). Instmmental quaUtative identification is possible using inductively coupled argon plasma—atomic emission spectroscopy... 

Instrumental Quantitative Analysis. Methods such as x-ray spectroscopy, oaes, and naa do not necessarily require pretreatment of samples to soluble forms. Only reUable and verified standards are needed. Other instmmental methods that can be used to determine a wide range of chromium concentrations are atomic absorption spectroscopy (aas), flame photometry, icap-aes, and direct current plasma—atomic emission spectroscopy (dcp-aes). These methods caimot distinguish the oxidation states of chromium, and speciation at trace levels usually requires a previous wet-chemical separation. However, the instmmental methods are preferred over (3)-diphenylcarbazide for trace chromium concentrations, because of the difficulty of oxidizing very small quantities of Cr(III). 

Spark Source Mass Spectrometry (SSMS) is a method of trace level analysis—less than 1 part per million atomic (ppma)—in which a solid material, in the form of two conducting electrodes, is vaporized and ionized by a high-voltage radio frequency spark in vacuum. The ions produced from the sample electrodes are accelerated into a mass spectrometer, separated according to their mass-to-charge ratio, and collected for qualitative identification and quantitative analysis. 

Several features of ISS quantitative analysis should be noted. First of all, the relative sensitivities for the elements increase monotonically with mass. Essentially none of the other surface spectroscopies exhibit this simplicity. Because of this simple relationship, it is possible to mathematically manipulate the entire ISS spectrum such that the signal intensity is a direct quantitative representation of the surface. This is illustrated in Figure 5, which shows a depth profile of clean electrical connector pins. Atomic concentration can be read roughly as atomic percent direcdy from the approximate scale at the left. 

There are two major drawbacks to ISS concerning quantitative analysis. First, it has very low spectral resolution. Thus it is very difficult either to identify or resolve many common adjacent elements, such as Al/SI, K/Ca, and Cu/Zn. If the elements of interest are sufficiendy high in mass, this can be partially controlled by using a probe gas with a higher atomic mass, such as Ne or Ar. Second, ISS has an inherendy high spectral background which often makes it difficult to determine... 

Quantitative analysis, infrared, 250 Quantitative presentation of data, 14 Quantum mechanics, 259, 260 and the hydrogen atom, 259 Quantum number, 260 and hydrogen atom, 260 and orbitals, 261 principal, 260... 

The relative error is the absolute error divided by the true value it is usually expressed in terms of percentage or in parts per thousand. The true or absolute value of a quantity cannot be established experimentally, so that the observed result must be compared with the most probable value. With pure substances the quantity will ultimately depend upon the relative atomic mass of the constituent elements. Determinations of the relative atomic mass have been made with the utmost care, and the accuracy obtained usually far exceeds that attained in ordinary quantitative analysis the analyst must accordingly accept their reliability. With natural or industrial products, we must accept provisionally the results obtained by analysts of repute using carefully tested methods. If several analysts determine the same constituent in the same sample by different methods, the most probable value, which is usually the average, can be deduced from their results. In both cases, the establishment of the most probable value involves the application of statistical methods and the concept of precision. 

It would appear that measurement of the integrated absorption coefficient should furnish an ideal method of quantitative analysis. In practice, however, the absolute measurement of the absorption coefficients of atomic spectral lines is extremely difficult. The natural line width of an atomic spectral line is about 10 5 nm, but owing to the influence of Doppler and pressure effects, the line is broadened to about 0.002 nm at flame temperatures of2000-3000 K. To measure the absorption coefficient of a line thus broadened would require a spectrometer with a resolving power of 500000. This difficulty was overcome by Walsh,41 who used a source of sharp emission lines with a much smaller half width than the absorption line, and the radiation frequency of which is centred on the absorption frequency. In this way, the absorption coefficient at the centre of the line, Kmax, may be measured. If the profile of the absorption line is assumed to be due only to Doppler broadening, then there is a relationship between Kmax and N0. Thus the only requirement of the spectrometer is that it shall be capable of isolating the required resonance line from all other lines emitted by the source. 

The problems involved in quantitative analysis using NMR spectroscopy, have been discussed by several authors and it is evident that it still causes a lot of problems as especially pointed out by Hays55 in his excellent review on the subject. Thus in liquid state NMR spectroscopy the quantitative estimation of atoms and groups involves the use of normal analytical method. In the case of solid state NMR spectroscopy, however, the application of the cross-polarization technique results in signal enhancements and allows repetition rates faster than those allowed by the carbon C-13 Tl. Therefore, the distortion of relative spectral intensities must always be considered a possibility, and hence quantitative spectra will not always be obtained. 

This discussion of EXAFS on ruthenium-copper clusters has emphasized qualitative aspects of the data analysis. A quantitative data analysis, yielding information on the various structural parameters of interest, has also been made and published (8). Of particular Interest was the finding that the average compo tion of the first coordination shell of ruthenium and copper atoms about a ruthenium atom was about 90% ruthenium, while that about a copper atom was about 50% ruthenium. Details of the methods Involved in the quantitative analysis of EXAFS data on bimetallic clusters can be obtained from our original papers (8.12-15). 

Several other interface designs were introduced over this period, including continuous flow fast atom bombardment (CFFAB)" and the particle beam interface (PBI)," but it was not until the introduction of the API source that LC/MS applications really came to the forefront for quantitative analysis. Early work by Muck and Henion proved the utility of an atmospheric pressure interface using a tandem quadrupole mass spectrometer. 

---